Winds Of Change
by Taliox
Summary: Harry has come into his own. Snape is more than he seems. Darkness festers and grows. Will anyone be safe when the wind starts changing? Slash! HP/? AU, Creature Fic! Reviewers help decide!


A/N: This a dark Harry fic and will contain slash of the male sort. Also AU with the HBP never happening. In this story my reviewers will help decide my plot (some of it) and Harry's possible fate. Updating at least once a week, more if you're lucky. Read end notes!

'_Kill the spare."_

"_Not Harry, please not Harry!"_

"_Sirius!"_

"_Avada Ked-"_

The young man sat up with a gasp, bright green eyes wide and normally messy black hair plastered across his forehead with sweat. The covers were tangled about his legs and he was quick to kick them off as he caught his breath and refused to think about the string of dead faces and macabre images that made up his night terrors. At least he hadn't been screaming this time.

With a grimace he swung his legs over the bed and brushed his sticky hair back, ignoring the fact that it felt as greasy as a certain potion professor's at his school. A scar in the shape of a lightning bolt stood out in an angry red slash on his forehead. Harry Potter, savior of none and the Boy-Who-Hated-Living and yet could not die unless he doomed all of wizarding kind.

He lived a half life and knew it; a life that was turning darker by the second. He had caused the death of so many already starting with his parents. A part of him knew that is was Voldemort, a wizard so evil that he barely looked human, yet there would always be a part of him that dwelt on the 'what ifs'.

Shaking his head he dismissed his morbid thoughts and set about stretching his sore muscles. The summer with the Dursley's hadn't been as bad as it could have been. Petunia, in a show of rare clarity, had seemed to realize the boy was grieving and had left him be. Then again he had thrown himself into work with a zeal he had never shown before. Mowing, weeding, pruning and he had shocked Vernon speechless when he asked if he could paint the house inside and out. With the new work and the routine he went through every morning and night it was easy enough to fall into bed exhausted.

If it had the added bonus of ridding himself of any extra baby fat, well it was fine with him. He was tired of being underestimated, used as a pawn and at the mercy of a wand that could be lost to him at any time. After watching Sirius fall through the Veil at the Department of Ministries he had lost what little innocence the previous years of sorrow had left intact. It left behind a jaded young man who was ready to take charge of his own life.

Lost in the act of pushing his body to its limit he barely noticed that daylight had come, and with it the waking of the house. Vernon's meaty fist banged on his door, startling him enough so that he flinched and almost fell flat on his face.

"Get up boy and get breakfast done. If I am to take you to catch that freak train in time you better hurry!"

Harry rolled his eyes, taking time to dress in the oversized clothes that he was becoming increasingly tired of before moving to do one last chore before he left for the summer, and this time for good. Oddly enough he liked to cook, was rather good at it. It was odd that he was so horrible at potions, then again the method of teaching left a lot to be desired.

Before he knew it he was standing at platform 9 and ¾'s, his trunk and owl cage resting on a trolley as he looked at Vernon Dursley, the worst Uncle in history and shuffled his feet. "Listen I know you hate me," he stated, ignoring the muttered 'you got that right', "but I wanted to thank you anyway for taking me in and keeping me safe, if not from yourself then from those that wanted me dead. I won't be returning like I promised and while I don't like you your still… still family." Unable to say more he simply left the man standing there gaping as he went through the brick wall and into the bustle of kids and parents on the other side of the platform. Already his heart felt a bit lighter at having made one significant decision himself.

"Harry!"

He spun on his heel and couldn't help but smile as Hermione rushed toward him, Ron following close behind. While he had other friends he counted these two as his closest, his confidants and the closest thing he had to a real family. After hugging the witch and slapping Ron on the back they all headed toward the bright red train and were quick to settle themselves in a compartment. Only when the door was shut and a few privacy spells erected did they feel free enough to talk.

"We've been worried about you; your letters didn't say much." Trust Hermione to jump right into things.

Harry shrugged it off before grimacing slightly. He hated talking about his 'feelings' but knew the girl would persist. "I'm better; a little worried about what Voldemort has planned this year. I've a few things to tell you guys though. I'll need your help."

"Anything mate, you know we are here for you," Ron spoke up, his freckled face breaking out into a small grin. It had Harry relaxing with a nod. He had a feeling his news would shock the hell out them, though. He was still a bit surprised about it himself.

"I'm not going back to the Dursley's this year," he admitted after a moment, holding up his hand to stall Hermione's questions. "I don't need the protection of the blood wards, they have probably already fallen."

"Harry! That can't be possible unless… " Her eyes widened and she placed a hand over her gaping mouth. "You didn't!"

Trust her to figure it out that quick. Ron merely looked puzzled.

Harry nodded. "I did. My Aunt agreed readily enough when I promised to never return." Seeing Ron still looking perplexed he clarified it for him. "I'm emancipated, Ron. No adult has a hold over me any longer. This is my last year at school and I plan to make the most of it."

The redhead looked gob smacked, mouth hanging open unattractively before he broke out into shaky laughter. "Blimey, Dumbledore will have kittens!"

"Mmm, with McGonagall? Disturbing images Ron!" Harry teased, finally laughing as Ron choked a moment before breaking into deep chuckles with Hermione half heartedly reprimanding them.

"Well, I suppose it _is_ for the better. I know you hated it there," Hermione murmured before standing. "I really must get to the prefects meeting with Ron, but we'll talk more in a bit," she promised, ignoring Ron's groan as he rose to his feet. Harry waited till they left before slumping in his seat and staring out the window. He had waited till almost the last day before allowing the final paperwork to go through, all in the effort to keep a meddling headmaster out of his business. The man probably knew by now however. No doubt it was going to be an interesting Opening Feast.

Which was a vast understatement…

The sorting went well enough with the batty old hat waxing on about house unity before finally doing its job. Once it was done and all the students sorted however it began speaking again, much to the surprise of all.

_There is one among you steeped in lies_

_Slytherin at heart and with Gryffindor pride_

_Strong and determined with a stubborn streak_

_Decisions lie that make the future bleak_

_Curb the lion, tame his heart_

_Or lose the world to unending dark_

There was dead silence before a dark drawling voice could be heard despite the vastness of the great hall. "Really Headmaster, you should send that thing out to be cleaned. Sitting on so many Gryffindor heads has addled its wits." Snape, potions master and head greasy git of Slytherin, sneered condescendingly, his black gaze fixing on Harry.

There was nervous laughter as Dumbledore lightly reprimanded the man, the hat being whisked away. After the short speech of the same bloody rules the feast began and chatter quickly broke out.

"What do you make of that?" Hermione muttered, frowning as she tried to work it out.

Harry ignored her in favor of watching the head table as Dumbledore and Snape quietly spoke, heads bent close. He felt a bit sick, anger stirring in his gut so that it burned and he lost his appetite. He did his best to ignore it, not liking the dark thoughts that came, pushing aside the hatred he felt into a tiny corner of his mind and locking it away. Anger and rash thinking had lost him his Godfather, he could ill afford it now.

Realizing he was being stared at he tore his gaze away with a shrug. "I don't know, maybe the greasy bat is right and the hat has gone 'round the bend." As he spoke, Hedgewig, his snowy owl, came soaring in to drop a letter onto his empty plate. He didn't need to read it to know he was being summoned for a meeting with the headmaster. Well, time to face the music. It was, he reflected, going to be a long damn night. There was much to discuss, a lot he wanted done and he was going to fight tooth and nail to get it. It was about bloody time that he let people know who was in control; someone who would look out for _his_ best interest… himself.

Harry stood and stared at the gargoyles that lead to the headmaster's office for a good fifteen minutes. He hadn't been given the password and he refused to play stupid little games. It could have been that Dumbledore had overlooked the fact but he somehow doubted it. The man was a consummate strategist, had defeated Grindelwald and was as conniving as any Slytherin.

"Are you going to enter anytime soon, Potter? Or do you _like_ wasting valuable people's time?"

The boy, startled, twisted and had his wand raised at the man who had come up behind him. He met furious black eyes and felt himself pale a bit before he quickly tucked his wand away. While he wanted to be his own man he wasn't stupid. "Sorry," he muttered, ignoring the snort of disbelief as he motioned toward the gargoyles. "I don't have the password and I am not playing guessing games."

Snape raised a single brow, a little surprised at the attitude but not deigning to show as much. Something had changed, he could see it in those green eyes and he planned to find out what it was. "Licorice Wands." Once the gargoyle leapt aside he strode past the brat and started up the spiral stairs. He was about to reprimand the boy when he sensed Potter behind him. The door at the top opened before they reached it, the headmaster once more trying to prove his 'omnipresence'.

"Ah, Harry, Severus. Welcome, do be seated. Tea, lemon drop? No? What about a nice-"

"Headmaster, this is _not_ a social call. What has the idiot boy done now?"

Harry sat up straighter in the chair he had sat in and if looks could kill Snape would have been a potion ingredient. Before he could pour out his hatred the headmaster broke in.

"Now Severus, do be civil. I would have spoken to you sooner but I had a few inquiries to make before I was sure." At that sharp blue eyes focused on the slouched boy. "Is it true Harry?"

He sounded almost old, defeated, but Harry saw beyond that to the manipulation. This time he was even able to recognize the brush of a mind against his own and quickly averted his gaze. Clenching his hands he took a deep breath, refusing to get angry like he had the last time he had been in this office. "Yes. It wasn't as hard as you would think," he muttered, clenching his jaw to stop a Snape worthy sneer from showing.

"Oh, Harry, what have you done?" Dumbledore sounded almost sad but Harry simply hunched his shoulders.

Snape watched the exchange with increasing impatience. "Tell me what is going on," he finally spat, ready to simply leave the elder man to his drama.

"Harry is emancipated and no longer under his mother's protection."

It took a moment for that to sink in and the slender man found himself rising to his feet in a surge of rage. "You what! You ungrateful, impudent whelp! How dare you throw away your mother's blood! Did your loving family not coddle you enough? Lick your boots, kiss your-"

"Severus!"

Dumbledore stood as well, his gaze hard as he cut the man off. With a snarl of disgust the potions master seated himself, black eyes glittering with malice. Harry hadn't moved, though, his body taut as if he was struggling for control. He had known this was going to be difficult but the anger that flared inside him felt like acid, tearing at his mind with sharp stinging fingers. "I don't care what you think," he whispered harshly, a light stirring of wind ruffling robes and hair. "There is nothing you can do about it." Just as quickly as the anger came it left, leaving him feeling drained and suddenly exhausted as he slumped in his chair.

There was silence for long moments, a pair of dark eyes and faded blue watching the boy closely. Both had sensed the powerful magic, could even taste the tang of it on the air and both were just as concerned and puzzled. "You may go Harry, we will talk later," Dumbledore murmured gently, waiting until the boy had left before turning to his long time friend and spy. "Something is seriously wrong."

"I sensed it too," Snape agreed, frowning in concentration. There was something off with Potter. He was acting strange, which should be expected after the death of his Godmutt but nothing so extreme, surely.

"This is an unforeseen dilemma. Harry needed the safety of his mother's protective wards. I know his home life was not exactly pleasant but surely he realizes sacrifices must be made."

For once he missed the sharpened gaze of the other man, intent on his musings as he stroked his beard in thought. There had to be a way around the emancipation he just had to find it, some loophole that would bring the boy to heel and back under control. While he was fond of Harry he couldn't let that fondness overrule common sense. "Thank you for coming Severus. I will be in touch," he dimissed, leaning back in his chair and mulling things over in his mind.

Snape gave a sharp nod and rose to his feet, leaving in a sweep of black robes. He, too, was deep in thought. While it was true he abhorred Potter he couldn't help but think he had missed something all these years. He had let hatred rule him and he clung to that hatred like a child to a security blanket. Seeing Lily's eyes in James' face was a bitter reminder of the friend he had driven away and of the one who stole her from him. Somehow he couldn't help but feel that he had failed the girl again, vowing in his heart to find out what the hell was going on.

The headmaster might not have seen it but the potions master knew they could have a second Dark Lord, or possibly even worse on their hands. It was time for him to go off his potion, to literal _sniff_ out what he had only caught a faint scent of before. Dumbledore would not approve but he was beyond caring. Harry wasn't the man's only pawn after all and if it meant being inundated by his baser self then he would do it.

A/N: First major decision is what sort of creature half-creature should Snape be? I would love to see your ideas so I can bring them to life! Second decision is who should Harry be paired with? I thought this might be an interesting way to write a fic. If you don't like it let me know that too!


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